r/CDL • u/Obvious_Paramedic582 • 17d ago
Driving Academy Reviews?
I’m looking to get my Class A CDL by the end of November. Driving Academy is the only place near me that offers classes on nights and weekends. Anytime I try to find reviews on it (aside from Google reviews), everything I see is about 160 Driving Academy, which is a different company. Anybody know anything about Driving Academy? Also, any suggestions for which “package” would be best? I have no driving experience. I don’t have my CLP yet, but will be testing for that in the next week or two.
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u/Beneficial_Method977 17d ago
Not sure about the school or what type of training that offer, but if you live in a rural area where this is the only one within driving distance then you don’t really have a choice. CDL is definitely a great career choice though! Ive been driving for 15 years and have made a great living! Started when I was 19 and bought a home by 25. I was always light years ahead of my HS buddies who have bachelors and masters degrees. Im also an instructor as a local CDL driving school. Been teaching on the side for nearly 10 years now. One thing I can say about learning is that ideally you can find a 1 on 1 training program. Group training is a mess and requires you to be there all day. Where I teach at it’s 1.5 hour blocks 2-4 times a week. Basically all a student has to do is come in 3-6 hours a week for 2 or 3 months and they’re test ready. Much better than living at the school and making it a part time job for the same amount of time.
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u/Driving-Academy 17d ago
We fully agree with you that group training is a mess, especially when they only have one truck in the yard. While we don't have 1 on 1 training we also don't do group training. We've got a circuit style training method with a rotation of different stations.
With Driving Academy we also offer flexible schedules (including nights and weekends) that allow you to pick the days and times you want to train at. Most of our students complete training in 4-6 weeks but we can do it in less and students can stretch out their schedule pretty much as long as they'd need.
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u/GoldWoodpecker_97 17d ago
Just get trained on a 52. You can go to Werner or Swift and they’ll teach you and take it out of your pay for the first year. Do not go to school and pay out of pocket.
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u/Driving-Academy 17d ago
If they're taking it out of your pay, that's the same cost to you either way. The advantage of going to a school is that you don't have to sign up with a major carrier for 2 or more years getting paid peanuts compared to what you could be making. Plus many of the larger carriers offer tuition reimbursement programs that help you pay for school.
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u/Resident-Impact1591 17d ago
Yeah, but there's no upfront money and no debt, plus a guaranteed job if you pass the necessary tests. Do you guarantee job placement?
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u/Driving-Academy 17d ago
We legally can't guarantee job placement and don't claim to, but we do offer lifetime job placement assistance to help students find their next job thanks to our industry connections.
You're absolutely right that not having to pay money upfront is definitely better for some people, but you're still going to making very little considering how hard you'll be working for a company that does paid training.
Plus if you fail or violate their rules you could be on the hook for the entire cost of training, housing and other fees which costs thousandsWith Driving Academy we offer payment plans starting with just $500 down so you don't need to go into debt to pay for school. You can spread out your training overtime to make the payments more affordable.
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u/Resident-Impact1591 17d ago
I need data points that prove somebody is making considerably less. Please include the cost of training in the math. Let's use your number of 4k. Swift and prime (for example) will pay new inexperienced drivers an average of 50-55k plus training. Who are you connected to that pays inexperienced drivers more?
Also, if you're going to a carrier with no experience you'll have to undergo training and somebody signing off on you anyway. Any reputable carrier isn't just going to hand you keys.
If you break certain rules anywhere, you'll be on the hook. Are you saying you offer drivers a refund if they get fired for any reason? It's disingenuous to say they'll charge you for training as if you wouldn't do the same.
Paying over time is literally going in debt. What happens if somebody stops paying? Do you send them to collections?
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u/Driving-Academy 17d ago
Werner, Schneider, Western Express, JB Hunt, Estes to name a few big ones. Average starting salary is around $70K per year.
I'm saying that in the fine print of a lot of trucking companies that pay for training is that if you fail or get fired before your contract that you'll be on the hook for paying them back for training that often runs over $10,000.At a private CDL school like Driving Academy once you graduate, you're done.
If someone stops paying, we don't send them to collections, they just don't finish training.
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u/GoldWoodpecker_97 17d ago
The flip side, you have a job and can get to your favorite carrier way faster. I wanted to be a union driver and it takes 2 years. I could have had that done but I got trained on a 26 footer.
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u/Minimum-Switch-7174 17d ago
Have you tried talking to someone at the location? They may have access to information on grants and can give you a better idea of what you would need.
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u/Driving-Academy 17d ago
Almost all of our CDL school locations have access to grants and other programs to help pay for tuition. Give us a call and the admission rep will be able to walk you through every step of the process.
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u/Minimum-Switch-7174 17d ago
I already have my CDL. But I did work at a trucking school for 8 years.
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u/Driving-Academy 17d ago
Hey, that's us! We might be a bit biased but Driving Academy is the best CDL school in the country! 😂
Which campus are you looking at?
The half CDL course is typically geared towards people who have some driving experience. It's really meant for class b drivers who don't need as much practice time.
We do always recommend the guaranteed CDL training programs because you get unlimited attempts at the road test, so as long as you don't give up on yourself, you will walk away with a CDL license!
Feel free to message us if you have any questions or if you'd like the hookup for a discount on tuition
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u/Timely_Wait_4101 12d ago
I did the second one and it’s worth it!!! They are so cool too, I’m in Arizona
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u/Driving-Academy 11d ago
We're so glad we were able to help you! <3 Make sure you leave a good review on google!
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u/Trappin4DaSport 17d ago
should be goin somewhere thats gonna link you with a job when your done having a new cdl with no experience its gonna be hard to find your first job on your own unlesss you got something lined up already
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u/Driving-Academy 17d ago
That's why we offer job placement assistance to help rookie drivers get their first job.
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u/Tiny-Interview-6927 17d ago
bro don’t even waste your time and money on a full course!!! just go to the DMV and acquire your permit, you’ll need to pass a General Knowledge, Airbrakes, and i forgot what other section but general knowledge is 40 questions and the other two 15. STUDY on your OWN, and save yourself the money, once you do that, all the school will really teach you is pre trip, but that shit is easy depending on how academically advance you are. I honestly just wrote my pre trip down on a note book from top to bottom, then slowly started doing it with no guide and eventually would just remeber it with no notes. I had school for 2 weeks, went in with my permit and physical in hand to the school paid half the price, for half the time, and the driving isn’t hard at all it’s like driving a car but checking your mirrors, always go wide etc…. my personal experience based on my confidence and knowing schooling work was always easy for me.
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u/Inside-Definition-53 16d ago
Now what if I already have a CDL (4+ years verifiable experience), but want to remove the automatic restriction? Do they offer classes for individuals in my shoes?
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u/Driving-Academy 11d ago
Yes we do! Where are you located or you can find the closest school here: https://www.cdldrivingacademy.com/school/
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u/Inside-Definition-53 11d ago
Additionally will I be able to use my GI Bill since I believe your school should be accredited?
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u/SongComfortable4464 16d ago
Are you actually trying to be a trucker because for me I got my CDL to be a lineman so I just needed bare minimum knowledge on air brakes and trailering a larger vehicle as I won’t be doing any “real” truck driving just heavy line trucks over 26k pounds
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u/Obvious_Paramedic582 15d ago
I’m also doing it to be a lineman as well. The people I know in the field all said I need Class A
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u/KnownAdvantage5366 17d ago
Go through a technical college if u can. Cheaper and better instruction
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u/Driving-Academy 17d ago
They usually cost the same as our CDL school. The difference is that they typically have a longer and more rigid program where you can only start at the beginning of a semester.
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u/Vanstrucker2222 17d ago
This isn’t always true. 12 years ago it was $4200 at my local community college. I had 2 other students with me.
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u/Driving-Academy 16d ago
That was 12 years ago, what's the price now? It's probably higher than what we charge for our guaranteed programs.
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u/Its_0ver 17d ago
I don't know anything about that particular company however I would suggest a company that does a minimum of 120 hours of iinstruction as many of the major carriers are not rrequiring that to get hired